This invention relates to a card connector for use in connecting a card.
At present, various types of cards generally called an IC card or a memory card are used in an electronic apparatus. Typically, the card is removably inserted into a card connector mounted or connected to the electronic apparatus.
For example, a card connector of the type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2001-267013. The card connector is adapted to be mounted to an electronic apparatus and comprises an insulator of a generally rectangular shape, a plurality of contacts held by the insulator, an eject lever coupled to the insulator to be slidable in inserting and removing directions for ejecting a card, and a spring for continuously urging the eject lever in an ejecting direction, namely, the removing direction. The eject lever is provided with a heart cam. On the other hand, the insulator is provided with a cam follower to be engaged with the heart cam. The heart cam has a cam groove.
The cam groove has a bottom provided with a plurality of steps in order to prevent reverse or backward running of the cam follower and a slope in front of each step in order to allow normal or forward running of the cam follower. As a consequence, the heart cam is inevitably increased in thickness in correspondence to the steps.
In addition, a spring for pressing the cam follower to the heart cam is required. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the total thickness of a cam mechanism comprising the heart cam, the cam follower, and the spring.
When the card is inserted, a rotation torque is applied to the eject lever. With this structure, friction is produced between the lever and other elements during operation to impair an operation feeling.